Wow summer time is here and that means a lot of fresh things, fresh-cut grass, fresh   fruits and vegetables but let’s talk strawberries.  Everybody knows that strawberries are delicious but did you know that they are a nutritional powerhouse?

The USDA recommends that every American eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily, but unfortunately, most people don’t even come close to that. Adding fresh strawberries to your diet, whether they are in salads, smoothies, or on their own, is a great way to get the servings of fruit you need for a well-rounded body and a healthy immune system.

Did you know that…

One cup of strawberries contains over 13% of the RDA of dietary fiber, yet only 43 calories.

One cup of strawberries contains an incredible 136% of the RDA of vitamin C, an effective antioxidant that can help lower blood pressure, ensure a healthy immune system, and ward off the development of age-related ocular diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Strawberries contain a range of nutrients, with vitamin C heading the group. They also contain significant levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which fight free radicals. These antioxidant properties are believed to be linked to what makes the strawberry bright red.

So what are these free radicals? Free radicals are elements that can damage cells, and they are thought to contribute to the formation of many kinds of cancer.

In addition to vitamin C, strawberries also provide an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese, as well as folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Continue reading STRAWBERRIES – YUMMY! →

A variety of definitions of fiber exist. In an attempt to develop one definition of fiber that everyone can use, the Food and Nutrition Board assembled a panel that came up with the following definitions:

• Dietary fiber consists of nondigestible carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants. This includes plant nonstarch polysaccharides (for example, cellulose, pectin, gums, hemicellulose, and fibers contained in oat and wheat bran), oligosaccharides, lignin, and some resistant starch.

• Functional fiber consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans. This includes nondigestible plant (for example, resistant starch, pectin, and gums), chitin, chitosan, or commercially produced (for example, resistant starch, polydextrose, inulin, and indigestible dextrins) carbohydrates.

• Total fiber is the sum of dietary fiber and functional fiber. It’s not important to differentiate between which forms of each of these fibers you are getting in your diet. Your total fiber is what matters.

You may also hear fiber referred to as bulk or roughage. Call it what you want, but always remember that fiber is an essential part of everyone’s diet. While fiber does fall under the category of carbohydrates, in comparison, it does not provide the same number of calories, nor is it processed the way that other sources of carbohydrates are.

This difference can be seen among the two categories that fiber is divided into: soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance. Sources of soluble fiber are oats, legumes (beans, peas, and soybeans), apples, bananas, berries, barely, some vegetables, and psylluim.

• Insoluble fiber increases the movement of material through your digestive tract and increases your stool bulk. Sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat foods, bran, nuts, seeds, and the skin of some fruits and vegetables.

Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.  Fiber helps to keep you full and it also keeps you regular and may even prolong your life.

Continue reading LET’S TALK FIBER!! – PART 1 →

THE CALCIUM FACTOR

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Calcium

Eating dairy products protects you from a lot of diseases that are caused from calcium deficiency. OUR BODY CANNOT PRODUCE CALCIUM WHEN IT DOESN’T GET THE RAW MATERIALS TO MAKE IT.

Raw materials of calcium can also be absorbed from the following sources: Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Collards,Turnip Greens, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Beans, Lentils, Nuts, Figs, Dairy Products, Salmon and Sardines However, all of these plants or animal products must have the raw materials of calcium so that our body can absorb it.

Calcium deficiency is the primary cause of over 140 diseases. There is a wide belief that plants cannot produce the raw material for calcium because it is no longer in the soil. Even the United States Congress passed a resolution regarding this issue. It is true that plants cannot produce raw materials for calcium production if it is not in the soil. However, it may not be the case that all soil is lacking the raw materials for calcium. There is a variety of reasons that there is no calcium in the soil. The above introduction regarding calcium can be used as a foundation that you may use to increase your knowledge about it. However, I (Gus Deligiannidis) need to share with you my story as it relates to this extremely important mineral.

I called my friend Doctor James Wilson, who is the medical advisor for the Natures Healing Foods concept because my blood pressure was sky-high. Doctor Wilson’s first concern was the level of calcium in my system. He told me that I needed to start taking calcium supplements and eat foods that have calcium raw materials. He then explained to me that whenever human beings are under stress their bodies need and use more calcium and therefore we must have adequate levels in our system so that there will be no imbalance and that I needed to take two 1000 mg capsules of Calcium Citrate a day. After Dr. Wilson convinced me to take calcium supplements, I went to the nearest vitamin store and purchased a bottle of Calcium Citrate capsules 1000 mg each. I also asked Dr. Wilson what might happen if I put too much calcium in my system and what side effects I could expect if I would take too much calcium. He told me that the symptoms are opposite of those that occur when a person has a calcium deficiency. I was terrified about my health imbalances so I ate foods rich in calcium and took the recommended calcium supplements. Then I started taking three 1000 mg capsules a day and ate fruit, vegetables and dairy products. Then one night after closing the restaurant, I started feeling those opposite feelings my doctor told me about. This turned out to be the ugly side of overdosing on calcium. I had light shivers and trembling that lasted for 2 hours and then I realized what I had done. I invoked the Bad and Ugly of Calcium, I overdosed on it. I quit taking the Calcium Citrate for 3 to 4 days, after the break of 3 to 4 days I then started taking one 1000 mg capsule of Calcium Citrate a day. This was my experience with calcium.

I strongly recommend that you educate yourself about his very important mineral. My word on calcium: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS NO GOOD EITHER!!